DNC fundraising hits the skids

The Democratic National Committee is in the middle of its worst fundraising year in a decade.

The committee’s 2013 cash pace is lagging behind even for a typical off-year, according to a POLITICO analysis of the DNC’s fundraising. And it has barely made a dent in paying down election year debt nearly 10 months after President Barack Obama was reelected.

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At the end of July in 2009, the DNC had raised nearly $51 million, adjusted for inflation. At this point in 2007, the DNC had raised about $36.3 million. This year, it raised $35.4 million though the end of July.

The DNC remains $18.5 million dollars in debt as of the end of July, according to campaign finance reports filed this week. That’s up from $18.3 million in debt reported in in June. The committee also spent more than it raised in July — taking in $3.9 million but spending about $5.4 million.

DNC spokesman Michael Czin said the party’s debt came from the fact that it made significant investments in field and state parties during the 2012 campaign. “We spent it wisely and we’re proud of that,” he said.

“We have a plan to get out of debt,” Czin added. “We’re going to keep encouraging people to give.”

Meanwhile, the DNC has posted a seventh month of lackluster fundraising totals — even when taking account that 2013 is an off year and next year won’t feature a presidential election.

The Republican National Committee outraised the DNC by about $2 million in July, according to FEC reports. In fact, the RNC has posted better fundraising figures than the DNC in every single month in 2013 — and the DNC was also outraised by the RNC throughout most of the 2012 campaign.

On the other hand, the Obama reelection effort, on the other hand, had the money advantage against Mitt Romney during the 2012 campaign — raising $1.06 billion to Romney and the GOP’s $954 million.

The RNC is roughly on pace with its 2011 fundraising hauls —a year that saw the committee retire a significant amount of debt that was accrued in the 2010 cycle.

Still, at $47 million through July, the RNC is lagging behind its pace in other off years. In 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009 — the committee was ahead of its 2013 marker.

The declining fundraising prowess of both committees comes as outside groups replace the core functions of both parties.

A number of RNC veterans formed America Rising earlier this year, a super PAC and for-profit corporation that will offer research and tracking services. The super PAC and nonprofit American Bridge runs a similar operation on the Democratic side.

But the DNC’s fundraising struggles come as other Democratic and liberal groups are on the ascent. The pro-President Barack Obama nonprofit Organizing for Action raised a record $13.1 million in the first half of 2013. And last month, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee outraised the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

In the battle for House money, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee outraised the National Republican Congress Committee for five months straight. The NRCC pulled ahead in June, and both committees posted a $4.4 million haul in July.

“It’s very difficult to measure how well an individual party is doing now because after Citizens United, strategically there are lots of different places to put money,” said David Rosen, a former DNC finance director. “And so where there was just one bucket, there are two. And if you add up all the buckets, that would be an interesting comparison.”

“There is a ready, willing and able group of Democratic donors ready to answer the call and be invited to events and give to the DNC. And they just haven’t been asked yet and are ready to go, and they’re just waiting,” he added.